Author: cmshannon2002

I just read an article about two determined passengers at the Cologne/Bonn Airport in Germany who’d missed the boarding of their flight to Romania. Not to be dissuaded by their plane now readying for takeoff on the runway, they breached an emergency exit door by breaking the glass covering of an emergency switch. They then proceeded to run across the tarmac to the almost-taxiing Airbus 321. Needless to say, airport security stopped them.

Beyond wondering how two rational adults could think such a boneheaded move would actually gain them access to a flight, I noticed that their airline of choice in this weird scenario was Wizz Air. Wizz Air? Such an oddly named airline seems straight out of an SNL skit. This company name loses some credibility in the US- though apparently the American slang “taking a wizz” does not mean the same as in Hungary, where this airline is founded. And despite its moniker, the low-cost Wizz Air has actually been successful since its founding in 2004. 

Product Management, R&D, and Marketing Personnel- Beware!

But product success like this has not always been the case for other products with marketing campaigns that lose something in translation or implementation. All those folk working in Product Management, Research and Development, and Marketing need to pay close attention to just a few examples where the road to marketing success was littered with preventable failures. Here’s just a few.

Take this famous example of a 1960’s campaign for Pepsi in China- “Come alive! You’re in the Pepsi generation!” Its translation actually meant “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave”– not quite the lively youthful connotation the marketing people were intending, plus an unintended clash with cultural views on ancestors. At least Coca-Cola executives enjoyed the gaffe during the years the campaign ran and Pepsi sales in China struggled- until the problem was recognized. 

“¿Que Pasa?”

Even the famous American dairy association tag line “Got Milk?” has had its problems. The initial Latino market was not fond of the line at all, since the Spanish translates into the nosy question “Are You Lactating?”  And Molson Coors Beverage Company’s in-country marketing team for Coors beer in Spain dropped the ball when they okayed the slogan “Turn it loose.”  The translation of that slogan was literally telling Coors drinkers that they would “Suffer from diarrhea.”  This is where good translation companies (e.g. TransPerfect, Lionbridge, or RWS)  offering specialized localization for global brand campaigns are worth their price-tag. 

Sometimes it’s not mistranslation, but misunderstanding of their customers that sinks a product. The Beatles’ 1966 album “The Beatles Yesterday and Today” was Capitol Records’ worst selling Beatles album of the group’s whole career. The hugely popular group’s brand image at the time did not square with fans expecting something non-controversial and more family friendly. The twisted album cover photo (known as the “Butcher” album cover)- had the Fab Four wearing white lab coats, and holding dismembered baby dolls and bloody cuts of meat. This marketing miss with a target audience happened due to lack of test marketing, plus Capitol’s big misjudgment of general public reactions and that of the parents, who were often the purchasers of Beatles music for their children. Surrealism and anti-war satire were not the UX anticipated by such customers. Capitol was forced to recall 750,000 copies of the album from distributors, or do paste overs with another photo to recoup cost. (By the way, if there’s anyone today who does have one of the rare original album covers- they could make $30,000 or more now). 

The Bot Made Me Buy It

There’s more recent marketing backlashes stemming from the steady move of companies to use AI to hawk products and services. Major brands like Balmain, Prada, Pacsun and Calvin Klein are partnering with their own customized digital virtual influencers. Such digital characters offer marketers PROS like cost-effectiveness, 24/7 availability, flexibility to be placed in any scenario, full company control of the “brand” to avoid messy human scandals, and the appeal of virtual influencer technology to younger audiences.

But the CONS abound as well. CGI (computer generated imagery) requires a substantial investment, it is resource-intensive, and it raises in audiences big questions about authenticity and transparency. Human influencers produce real connections with followers, creating impactful marketing campaigns built on trust and loyalty. Human influencers also speak to diverse communities, and can be master storytellers that weave persuasive brand messages into their personal narratives. Digital influencers appeal to novelty, not authenticity- and not all marketing strategies want that association for their brand. Shoppers don’t tend to like fake.

In the end, whether it is bad translations or unreal AI influencers, companies will do best when they listen to their potential markets, and build their best marketing messages and campaigns with authenticity and cultural relevance. Without that, many brands might be “taking a wizz” in more places than Germany.  

Photo by Tara Windstead

According to the experts, soon we will all have an AI twin. 

More than an avatar that simply mimics your appearance, an AI digital double is built on the digital trail you have created- e.g. in social media, health data, or biometrics. Your AI digital double will replicate your face, mannerisms, voice, personality, behaviors, and decision making. Your twin will be able to make decisions on your behalf with a large degree of accuracy and confidence. 

There are both advantages and risks in this futuristic technology.

Your digital twin can attend those boring virtual meetings while you go to the beach. Your AI digital double can do routine tasks and conversations on your behalf, or manage your digital life and business. A digital twin could create ongoing social media content for you (freeing up more of that beach time).Your AI double could become a movie star- appearing in movies on your behalf (but think of those SAG-AFTRA complications!) 

Doctors could use your digital “self” to personalize your medical treatments to proactively predict and treat health issues, current and future. (Wouldn’t it also be great if your digital clone could do that nasty colonoscopy for you?) 

An AI digital double can even serve as a “griefbot” to help your bereaved family members after you pass away. (Beyond an inherent creep factor of possible exploitation of grieving relatives, posthumous rights raise another concern- could family members misuse a deceased person’s data?) 

Your future AI twin is already in demand. 

Companies want to use “you” and other digital doubles to test consumer reactions to new products and marketing. Scientists want to speed up all that pesky research- for instance, in human brains studies, they could run thousands of experiments on AI twins in no time. 

Doctor’s digital twins are being developed to replicate a doctor’s medical expertise, knowledge and decision making. Even more than passing on medical knowledge, Delphi company has created “legend” avatars of historical figures so people can hear AI generated responses from Albert Einstein, George Washington, Genghis Khan, or Mahatma Gandhi. (Such technology can be clearly problematic and is called deepfake when used to mimic a real living person without permission).

Creators are also available for anyone to set up their digital selves, for all the many advantages previously mentioned. Downsides have arisen however, as with Snapchat influencer Caryn Marjorie in 2023 with her CarynAI. She hoped her online clone would offer emotional support to her followers- but shut it down completely when fans got sexually explicit. AI-generated images and videos have been reshaping the adult industry with AI-generated porn and user-created fantasies for years- which may be why CarynAI’s offer of simple emotional support for some fans was misused.

Online dating sites imagine your AI clone dating other “dating concierges” to help match you for a “real” human date, by using your AI twin to eliminate the other choices. Taking this a step further though, developing video twins (or even physical robots) ultimately raise worries that people can instead choose digital relationships over human ones (ie. choosing the illusion of companionship without the human demands). One-sided relationships with AI or robots could become addictive or unhealthy, not the beneficial tools they were designed to be.

H&M and Nike are already using created digital twins for storytelling in marketing campaigns to cut costs. Tech companies of course are leading the way by already using avatars of their executives for public communications. But the infamous 2024 Hong Kong video conference scam took advantage of this technology, to create a video call attended by the deepfaked company’s CFO and some colleagues. The “attendees” induced a finance worker at their multinational company to transfer $25 million to various bank accounts.

 A digital double is technology’s answer to a human- but without the humanity.  

A current joke goes that if AI is taught emotions, it will cry in ones and zeroes. It’s that “humanity” part of humans that a digital double cannot replicate. However this raises some uncomfortable questions about any future digital double of “me.” 

Even if my digital double exactly mimics my speech, style and decisions, will it always make the choices that I would- or could it be made to act independently or distort my personality? Who owns my digital clone and its data- me, my heirs, the company that created it? More troubling, what happens if my digital double is updated, sold, or changed without my permission? Who is accountable if my digital double does or says harmful things, is used criminally, or for profit, or endorses products or politics not of my choosing? 

Developing AI digital doubles to be human is like the previous building of the atomic bomb. 

Both are breakthrough technologies capable of enormous good and enormous harm. Ethics, safety, and accountability issues inevitably arise, even as creators race along anyway, experimenting with the explosively-growing technology of AI digital doubles. 

In the meantime, any digital double of mine would do all its tasks flawlessly, keep files tidy, and save me time and energy. But my AI digital double would not lose its phone or glasses, burn the toast, laugh, dance with two left feet, thoroughly savor time with my family and friends, or cry over those heart-breaking dog commercials. 

Digital doubles may outthink me, but no algorithm can match the human spirit that forgets, fumbles and feels. Code can’t replace life. That gloriously imperfect, emotional, unpredictable spark of humanity still remains mine.  

I’m so very glad that our tax dollars are being put to such noble use— especially in beautifying our nation.  A perfect recent example of this totally cost-effective use of time and resources is the deployment of over 2,200 National Guard troops to D.C. After they heroically battled the legendary massive crime wave emergency in Washington D.C., idle troops were then reassigned to the truly urgent task of trash removal and groundskeeping in parks around the city. 

Support For NPS in Survival Mode

The National Parks Service is likely happy about military troops briefly taking over their DC beautification duties. While it is their job to beautify DC-NPS has had their city work force decimated during recent DOGE personnel cuts- dropping their 200 city employees down to 20. So the National Guard’s arrival is quite timely for them. After all, the Guard service members are indeed specially trained for sanitation and groundskeeping- they are most often deployed for disaster response to help communities recover from wildfires, floods, or storm damages. Let’s hope that the National Guard will be available when the next hurricane devastates some coastal state- assuming they won’t be too busy with their critical mission of combatting weeds, sorry, crime…in DC.  

A Million a Day- Worth Every Mulch

Estimates for the cost of President Trump’s recent emergency military deployment to DC are around 1 million a day in taxpayer revenue, to go for at least 30 days (unless renewed by Congress). This means there’s some pretty pricey “landscaping” going on. National Guard troops are prohibited from performing domestic law enforcement, and are primarily in a deterrence role- yet much of their activity has apparently been groundskeeping rather than crime fighting. Civilian employees doing the same groundskeeping work would be much less costly. Plus consider that the $30 million spent on a 30 day deployment could instead fund 200-300 actual police officers for a whole year in DC- a far wiser longer-term investment in the DC community’s public security.

Spread That Mulch

US tax dollars should be spent on sensible crime reduction strategies that actually work— not flashy $30 million photo ops of uniformed National Guard troops on DC streets. Imagine what 30 million dollars could do if it was spent on actual crime prevention- more officers, better equipment, targeted strategies-  with real results towards reducing crime, and not just spectacle. In the meantime, until priorities shift, the National Guard will soldier on, combatting weeds, and spreading mulch around DC’s cherry trees- all thanks to President Trump. 

Photo by Nima Akoy

For many seniors, having a “senior moment” is about losing things. Some of my friends will admit that a significant part of their day is spent looking for misplaced phones, glasses, or TV remotes. I, however, refuse to confess that I lose things- preferring instead to think about my multiple searches as complex scavenger hunts that just happen to me several times a day. It sounds more fun, less exasperating and time-consuming, and less…senior citizen.

But I went well beyond my scavenger hunt moments the other day. Apparently it was my time in life to once again test out the concept that dignity is overrated. To achieve this revelation I actually accomplished what I will generously refer to as a random gravity check. Of course it was in public. And of course it was in the front aisle of a busy home goods store. (Banana peel slapstick, move over). 

I was wandering about the store, checking out all the brightly-colored must-have purchases, and waiting for my friend, who was inching through a long checkout line. She should know better by now than to take me anywhere- and especially leave me unattended too long- but such is the innocent trust of friendship. There was an overstuffed lounge chair by the front door that looked inviting. Since I am considering options for the eventual replacement of my saggy living room sofa, I went over for a closer look. 

“Why not test it out?” I thought to myself. Never mind that I didn’t notice that the chair was slightly raised, up on a little roller platform of some kind- perhaps the store had been moving it around. A little warning tape across the seat would have been a nice notice of its out-of-commission status- except the store was certainly not anticipating someone to make an imbecilic move like mine. You’ve heard of proceeding with caution? Me too, I just didn’t do that here.

So I went and plunked down in that beckoning lounge chair, to give it a little “comfort test” for a future possible purchase. However the test did not proceed as it should have. The whole chair just unexpectedly tilted forward when I sat down, and the foot rest helpfully extended out. Unable to stop the momentum, I slowly slid down the chair like on a slide, ending up on the floor on my butt!!! My baffled friend arrived from making her purchase to find me sitting in the middle of the main aisle, with a worried shopper rushing over to help me up. Though unhurt- and definitely undignified- I am proud to report that my long-ago childhood playground skills kicked in. I slid down that lounge chair like a true champion, and landed the slide perfectly. And contrary to the desired body images of popular culture, there are certain times when it is a very good thing to have a well-padded derriere. This was definitely one of those times. 

So ends my tale of a shopping trip gone awry. Not only did I drop by the home goods store, I just dropped there as well. After performing my unintentional floor routine, I ended up on the linoleum floor in the main aisle like a shopping queen-gone-tipsy. If my lounge chair slide was captured on store video, I hope it gives someone a laugh, like one of those funniest home videos. After all, grace and dignity are lovely, but laughter is better. 

Maybe there is a moral to this tale of my random gravity check. Perhaps it’s that dignity is indeed highly overrated, especially after 65. Or maybe it is just proof of the adage that thankfully God does watch over children, fools, third baseman, sailors, drunks… or clueless seniors.

In 1963 Bob Dylan famously sang,”The times, they are a-changing…” Today, our times are a-changing too. If you need some help to swim and not sink like the lyrical stone in Dylan’s song, here’s some practical guidance for navigating our new cultural floodwaters. These are the top 10 useful strategies to implement and use to master an evolving American culture:

If you have an outdated map on the wall with the “Gulf of Mexico” on it- immediately replace it (even framed antique maps don’t count). Don’t make the mistake that the laggards at AP News did, resulting in them being locked out of press conferences. Your new map should prominently and proudly feature the Gulf of America, now that its new name has been decreed. Plus if you happen to have an old decorative world globe amongst your current home decor as well, now’s the time to ditch that. To remain cutting edge, quickly order the new Gulf of America globe too. The especially colorful Patriotic Limited Edition globe is eye-catching and a steal for $249.99. It is also complete with the corrected title for Mt. McKinley. (Hopefully no one mentions that Alaska’s Athabaskan people’s original title for their tallest peak in North America roughly translated as “The Great One”- it could trigger ideas for a Mt. Rushmore-like makeover).    

Ditch the old family heirloom Bible that graces your den. Replace it with another Bible– you know the one, that leather-bound large print King James edition- with the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance in it. Some of these Bibles come in formats that can additionally provide some extra visual punch, so any visiting guest will be sure to spot it in your house. For just a few extra bucks, get one of the colorful special editions- you can choose between The Golden Age, Platinum, Pink & Gold, or the Camo edition. Those special editions really make an obvious cultural statement- not merely a boring statement of faith.

Cultivate a taste for poutine- that dish of French fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy that’s so popular with our neighbors to the north. In case they become the newest US state, you’ll be able to immediately “foodie focus” on the best poutine spots. Learning a smattering of French for the Quebecois residents won’t hurt either- especially if you like to RV throughout the US during your summer vacay. It’s always broadening to visit America’s many different environments, habitats and ecosystems (especially with a visit to a newly acquired annexation). Who needs to go overseas?  

There’s more literal taste changes to make- Diet Coke should now be your favorite drink of choice- all the best people drink Diet Coke now. Obviously cultivate this bubbly power drink of today- there’s additional Coke merchandise like tumblers or can coolers that can emphasize your loyalty for the drink. (Though you won’t go so far as to install a button at your desk to have it brought to you…will you?)

Purge your music library. Get rid of any collections by Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Neil Young, Rihanna, Jon Baptiste- any musicians that are too woke, are associated with the old Kennedy Center, supported Kamala, or who issued cease and desist orders over their songs’ use at rallies. Don’t despair over depleting your music library though, you’d be surprised at someone’s key tracks that are played for Mar-A-Lago guests. These chosen songs include classics like Elvis Presley (“Suspicious Minds”), Frank Sinatra (“My Way”), Johnny Cash (“Ring of Fire”), and songs from Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Metallica (“Enter Sandman”), R.E.M. (“Losing My Religion”), and Guns N’ Roses (“November Rain”) have the imprimatur too. Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” makes the cut as well, though you can probably also hear her rolling over in her grave when her music is playing. Any of Lee Greenwood’s CDs or vinyl (e.g. his “God Bless the USA” that features at every rally) should be prominent amongst your musical collection.

Speaking of libraries, your literary tastes have got to adjust. Investigative journalists such as Bob Woodward and David Cay Johnston are OUT (i.e. quickly donate those books “Fear: Trump in the White House” or “It’s Even Worse than You Think: What the Trump Administration is Doing to America” to the thrift store). Ditto for any books by Liz Cheney, or ex-lawyer Michael Cohen. Works by former national security adviser John Bolton, former FBI director James Comey, along with family tell-alls like Mary Trump’s “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” should definitely be taken off your bookshelves. But authors Jerome R. Corsi (“Killing the Deep State: The Fight to Save President Trump”), Andrew Puzder (“The Capitalist Comeback: The Trump Boom and the Left’s Plot to Stop it”) and David Brody/Scott Lamb’s “The Faith of Donald J. Trump” should be prominently displayed, near your Bible if possible. Or at the very least they should be on the shelf next to “Ship of Fools” by Tucker Carlson. 

Your children’s books should be culled as well. Put those Seuss books back on your kids’ bookshelves- Dr. Seuss books are not considered bad anymore. There’s no insensitive racist imagery to see here!- even though six Dr. Seuss books are no longer published anymore according to the business that preserves Seuss’s legacy. But history-based kids’ books with topics about slavery, refugee camps, or school segregation of black or Mexican children are off limits- everyone knows some subjects are never appropriate for the grade levels for which they were supposedly designed. And kids’ books with references to atheism or the occult, or subjects like gay parents, or Islamic themes are definitely anathema for any age. Bathroom humor and gross topics in children’s books are definitely out now-(bye-bye toany book in the Captain Underpants series for sure, Kid’s Awards not-withstanding!) 

As a sure sign of fealty, you may quickly want to trade in your old car and make sure your next new car will be a Tesla. Get a regular Tesla car- or maybe one of those ugly, er… innovative-looking Tesla Cybertrucks. Never mind those rust spots popping up on your new truck’s stainless steel surface, or those pesky problems with the self-driving system…  Such problems are over-exaggerated- everyone knows that Elon Musk is a genius, and so are his electric vehicles. Plus, to customize your car, there are certain bumper stickers that are considered de rigueur for accessorizing. MAGA bumper stickers in red, white, and blue of course are always a fine choice, or perhaps any variation of “Make America Great Again” or “God ,Guns and Trump.” (And “Trump Punisher Skull” decals are a must for any worthwhile pickup). Finally, for extra emphasis against incorrect ideologies, use the patriotic “This Is My Pride Flag” bumper sticker of the US flag- no rainbows in sight. 

Change your TV viewing habits immediately (your smart TV can track your shows- and who knows who knows?) FOX News, NewsMax, and OAN are now your sole sources of news. Mainstream media news shows on NBC, ABC, and CBS are questionable, while CNN is dead to you. And there will be absolutely no more watching comedy shows like “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” or “Saturday Night Live.” If you need laughs, stick to safe laughs (as in “American’s Funniest Home Videos”). Dutton family drama show “Yellowstone” should be at the top of your viewing list. “Shark Tank” is another perfect choice (especially for all you entrepreneurial  dreamers), along with insightful reality TV “Dirty Jobs” or fave police drama “Blue Bloods.” Popular realty shows like “Survivor” or “Deal Or NO Deal” are acceptable, “Deal Or No Deal Island” is a newer twist to the genre. “Jeopardy” gameshow is out however- too much lately with those woke pronoun/neopronoun answers. Finally, when all else fails, you can never go wrong with tried-and-true favorites like reruns of “Duck Dynasty,” “Walker Texas Ranger,” “COPS,” “J.A.G.,” and “24.”

Your home decor needs to be updated too. American flags used in any decorative way are a big thumbs up- it goes without saying that there should be a flag out front of your home too. But US flag-heavy decor sometimes leads to farmhouse or Lone Star Western looks, which may not be your home design style. Don’t despair if down-home decor simply doesn’t express that dream essence for your home. Gold curtains, gilt frames, and Rococo accessories- just like the new WH updates– might nicely reflect your new inner ruler vibe. Prominent groupings of gold-framed family photos are a nice touch, and don’t forget portraits of President Andrew Jackson or George Washington. Similar to the recent White House refresh, you can never go wrong with cream colored carpeting or Frederic Remington sculptures anywhere in your own updated home decor. 

So that wraps up a brief overview of key steps that you can take to successfully assimilate into this latest evolution of American culture. These 10 simple steps will be central to your smooth transition to today’s latest social norms and customs. 

Because “the times, they are a-changing…” 

One of the perks of getting older is having lived when times were very different, and attesting first hand to those changes. Great strides have been made in the area of public health in our lifetimes. We cannot lose sight of those advances- there’s a cost to forgetting them.

One good perk of getting older is having lived when times were very different, and experiencing the improvements of change. A good example is our phones. Most people do not want to go back to having a single wall phone per household. When I was young and dinosaurs roamed the earth, there was actually no such thing as every single person having their own personal portable phone.  Each home only had a single wall-mounted phone, usually in the kitchen.Very early on, multiple households even shared the same line. Try to imagine the horrors of party lines– they meant “parties” like you had to wait your turn to make a call- and neighbors could listen in on your conversations- or vice versa. We have certainly learned that today’s cell phones do have their downsides, but they’re still lovely little mini-computers that can be used appropriately. Most do not want to lose these advances- especially those who remember the days without them. I truly appreciate the miracle of cell phones, despite being tech-challenged. (I recently accidentally Face-timed a friend and still can’t figure out how that happened).

There are other improvements that I remember too. Vaccine use wasn’t as controversial as it is today- vaccines were hailed as life-savers. During my childhood, one of my fellow toddler cousins had the dubious distinction of being the last reported case of polio in our state of Illinois. He survived the polio but never walked again. My cousin Tommy’s wheelchair was our family’s sad reminder of the very real devastation of polio- the Salk vaccine rollout that began in 1955 was too late for him. 

No Re-litigation of Proven Cures

This came to my mind recently when Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell was the solo Republican vote against vaccine opponent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. becoming head of US Health and Human Services. McConnell survived childhood polio himself, and explained, “I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.” 

In the mid-1950’s, the polio vaccine was ardently welcomed, embraced by families determined to protect themselves and their children from a disease that started small but rose to 52,000 polio cases by 1952. Polio is a viral infection of the intestinal tract, that can travel to the brain stem, halt lung function, cause paralysis and death- and usually affects children.

So I truly hope that some today will reconsider their vaccine skepticism. No one should have to revisit leg braces, wheelchairs, iron lungs- or fatalities- when there is a reliable proven prevention available. Americans during my growing-up years thankfully gained trust in medical breakthroughs, and experienced greatly improved public health from medical miracles such as penicillin and childhood vaccines. In 1979, the World Health Organization declared polio cases eradicated in the US. Rubella, measles, and mumps vaccinations began in the 1960’s, and reduced those deadly child-killing diseases as well. 

Rising Vaccine Hesitancy

But now vaccine hesitancy is on the rise, impacting medical achievements made against diseases. Texas is currently experiencing an outbreak of measles– up to 90 confirmed cases, with more likely, most of them in unvaccinated individuals. New Mexico and Georgia have also reported recent measles cases. Measles is an airborne disease that is highly contagious, and can cause complications or even be fatal. Measles is also vaccine-preventable and was thought to have been eliminated from the US in 2000. 

Certainly asking questions is a valid thing to do-vaccines, like any widely used medical treatment, can have side effects or problems. Instances of contaminated vaccines (e.g. the Cutter Incident) happened, prompting stricter regulations and oversights to be put in place or increased, with additional studies done to improve safety. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) still continuously monitor vaccine safety through multiple safety systems. Despite issues, there is overwhelming medical and scientific evidence that the benefits of vaccines greatly outweigh the risks. It’s understandable that a parent whose child experienced a vaccine-related illness would feel very differently. Yet history still shows that diseases, left totally unchecked, cause more extensive damage and death than any rare complications arising from vaccine use.  

The Horrors of Preventable Diseases Must Not Fade

Dissenters may cynically believe that organizations like the drug companies (or big Pharma) are only perpetrating a vaccine system solely for profit. However this belief ignores that too many people are alive today that can personally attest to the life-saving effectiveness of vaccines- which brings us to our current situation. National health could suffer greatly if the valid history of vaccine successes are ignored or forgotten, under the helm of a health leader that discounts vaccine use for our country’s population. Older adults and their first-hand remembrances are crucial, to bring experiential witness to our collective national memory. The horrors of preventable diseases must not fade. 

Now I that I’m older, I have a compromised immune system from past cancer treatment- which makes me much more vulnerable to diseases. Many others like me depend on a US population that vigorously defends its public health. Therefore, everyone needs to recognize someone like my cousin- who never walked again because a vaccine arrived too late for him. Or read Mia Farrow’s story of polio’s impact on her son Thaddeus. Francis Ford Coppola has his polio story, along with actors Alan Alda and Donald Sutherland, or outdoor entrepreneur Richard Cabela too. These survivors’ debilitating battles with polio should be influences in vaccine policies. 

As elders, we must commit to sharing our experiences of history’s lessons, so they remain clear in collective memory- our sharing can guide educated decisions for today. There is a great cost to forgetting.

I have had many generally uneventful healthy years on this earth- with only several “slight cases” of pregnancy (resulting in a beautiful boy and girl), and a side detour for cancer. But now I can truly be revealed as the good-for-nothing stoner that I really am- or at least what certain portions of my anatomy are. You see, my recent annual physical and blood test revealed troubling high liver and iron levels that set my doctor’s stethoscope spinning. More tests and an ultrasound later, I have learned that it is a boy. No, I have learned that my gallbladder (just a small part of me) is the good-for-nothing stoner. Two stones to be exact. Such news is not particularly welcome. It ushers in multiple trips to Medical-land- a place of sterile waiting rooms and intense specialists muttering a strange language known as Medicalese. 

Like most people, Medical-land is someplace I’d rather not visit. The things they do to you in Medical-land are euphemistically called “procedures.” Additionally those mysterious imaging methods and processes practiced in Medical-land are usually done to you while you’re wearing what they refer to as a “gown.” This medical fashion statement has a slit down its center and reveals more skin than I’m guessing would be seen in an X-rated film. Such a breezy “gown” should have a much more realistic name… peek-a-boo toga? …reverse cape? …backless wonder (thoughtfully designed for those who want extra ventilation and no privacy at all?) 

Anyway my “procedures”continued, and much paperwork and a scan were transferred inter-office between various medical persons. It was ultimately determined that other than finding the gall stones, they could not figure out why my blood test levels had spiked as they did. Eventually the liver doctor said there had likely been some virus or other unknown that had caused the blood level reactions, since all the blood tests now had returned to normal. The newly-revealed calcified gall stones were not the culprits as I had assumed. The doctor thinks I’ve probably had those for many years. There is nothing medical to do if I’m having no problems- which is certainly fine by me. At least I think that is everything that he said- I am not very fluent in Medicalese. By the way, the technician commented that I have an “unremarkable spleen.” I would be insulted, as I am certain that my spleen is pretty special.  But she said it like an unremarkable spleen is a good thing, so I stayed quiet. (Who can figure out these medical folk?)

In the times of heraldry people had coats of arms with their family mottos and symbols on them. I have no idea what my own family crest looks like, but I can fully visualize the distinctive heraldic shield if my pet cat had a coat of arms. Her shield would have a standing silver cat on a field of red, in full profile, teeth bared and paws extended. On her shield would be the motto “Noli tangere felem” -Touch not the cat.

That shield is the one I would like to use myself for my next medical visit, except I could modify the motto to “Noli tangere felem aut mulierem” -Touch not the cat or the woman (my pets and I stick together). My shiny blade and red shield with the fierce silver cat and motto on it would flash out warning. Using this combat armor and sword, I would protect myself from that peek-a-boo toga, the lady in the blue scrubs with the needles, and the countless other personnel muttering in Medicalese. All the assorted members of Medical-land would learn about the fight they’d get as I protect both my good-for-nothing stoner of a gallbladder and my unremarkable spleen from medical intrusion. 

That’s my daydream. Instead I meekly follow whatever my doctors or technicians instruct me to do. Bah.

There’s a presidential election coming up this November, and disinformation campaigns are in full swing. AI has been used to clone the voice of President Joe Biden– recently heard in robocalls urging New Hampshire voters to stay home and not vote. Deepfake images are presenting manipulated fake videos. A sample deepfake of Republican AZ Senate nominee Kari Lake was posted to warn how realistic deepfakes can be. But there has already been a malicious deepfake spotted of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appearing drunk while talking with reporters at the US Capital. Bots on social media are created to spread false claims about election issues, amplified with likes and shares to reach millions of users.

But today’s disinformation is not new. You might be surprised to find that the 1934 CA campaign for governor was likely the first to use a “video” smear campaign– against socialist muckraker and author Upton Sinclair. At the time, Sinclair was famous for his popular novel “The Jungle” which exposed the meatpacking industry’s health violations. Sinclair had considerable support in his try for governor as a Democratic candidate, basing his platform on ending poverty in California. Terrified of his victory, business execs, publishers, and Hollywood moguls joined forces to stop him. Hollywood studio employees were docked a day’s pay to contribute to the opposing Republican Frank Merriam. Studio execs threatened to move headquarters to FL. The LA Times refused to cover Sinclair rallies. 

But the final blow to Sinclair’s campaign was a series of fake newsreels created by Hollywood producer Irving Thalberg. “Reporters” spoke to “people on the street”- most of them actually scripted actors. Well-dressed people criticized Sinclair. The individuals with shabby clothes and heavy foreign accents touted Sinclair as the candidate of the people. Before television and internet, newsreels were the information source of the day- documentary short films of current affairs and information played in movie theaters. The faked newsreels were shown in theaters throughout CA- and Sinclair lost the race. It is thought that the smear campaign launched against him swayed the election. The legacy of these faked newsreels echoes in our disinformation campaigns of today.    

So how can you detect disinformation in the new propaganda tools sprung up since 1934? Former CIA analyst Cindy L. Otis- author of a book “True or False: A CIA Analyst’s Guide to Spotting Fake News”– offers clarifying tips. Another author- information scientist Donald A. Barclay- highlights common tactics of disinformation in his work “Disinformation: The Nature of Facts and Lies in the Post-Truth Era.”

Here are some effective methods to help you uncover the truth:

Appraise your emotions and biases. Many times actual true videos are used online, but they are incorrectly placed in an emotionally-charged context. A good example of this was during the covid lockdown. A true video of a train transporting military equipment through downtown San Diego CA was posted. However the headline used with it implied that a nationwide military-enforced lockdown was taking place. This is not a new tactic- people have often used real videos of military transports to cause panic over claims that military invasions are underway. Research any stirring information for additional supporting data. Don’t let your emotion or bias drive you, or lead you to relay false content to others. 

Be skeptical- ask obvious questions.

In 2020 a conspiracy theory exploded about expensive Wayfair productsactually being coded listings for missing children being sold in human trafficking schemes. Items like dressers or pillows were priced at $10,000-$20,000, using description names (supposedly of missing children) as part of human sex trafficking. Wayfair claimed a software glitch on the pricing errors, and removed some items – which only fanned further conspiracy accusations. Deeper questioning would have revealed that the instigators of this claim regularly make accusations of child sex trafficking. They have charged Amazon, Etsy, Walmart, various celebrities and politicians, etc. of child trafficking (even claiming these scandals can only be tracked using the Russian search engine Yandex). However, no victims have ever been found. 

Recognize that repetition does not make a statement true.

An example of repetition taking on a new life is in slogans like “Stop the Steal” or “Drain the Swamp.” These slogans have the underlying ideas that an election was stolen, or civil service is totally corrupted. Endless repetition just reinforces the ideas as true- the more people hear something, the more likely they are to believe it. Despite repeated election result analysis to the contrary, current confidence in the US election process has been lowered.   

Avoid the part/whole fallacy that sows division. 

Disinformers look for the most controversial policy view of an opposing party, and falsely say that the whole party shares that view. “All Republicans prioritize tax cuts for the rich- they only care about the interests of the rich!” “Radical Democrats want to defund the police!”  By claiming ALL believe or do something, an entire organization is tainted, despite political party members having myriad viewpoints. 

Do your research. Ask questions. Analyze what information is being relayed to you. Don’t let the falsehoods, fears, and divisiveness of disinformation cloud your life, or impact your voting. 

#disinformation #1934 smear campaign #election propaganda #fake news